cast

Ava Arangua Francis is over the moon to be joining the cast of Inheritance Kitchen! She is a proud multicultural actress who was born and raised in Colorado and received training from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Past highlights include I The City Dog and The Prairie Dog (Fine Arts Center), Anything Goes (San Diego Musical Theatre),  Matilda (Town Hall Arts Center), Into the Woods (Arvada Center), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and She Kills Monsters (Vintage Theatre). Ava would like to thank her beautiful family and everyone else involved in this story.

Charlotte is so excited to see the story of Inheritance Kitchen come to life after working on it for over a year. She is a Nissei (second generation) Japanese America born and raised in Denver, Colorado. As an actor, she was most recently seen in Miracle on 34th Street at Town Hall Arts Center and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Vintage Theatre. Previously with Japanese Arts Network and at Sakura Square, she was Miya in Zotto: An Immersive Japanese Folktale. She has worked on other projects with Japanese Arts Network, including collaborations with the Loveland Museum, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Denver.  

A native to Colorado, Fronzo Gilkey II was introduced to the arts at a young age. He is inspired by exploration in various mediums to which he can contribute and has dipped his toes into writing, devising, teaching, production, & performance. Fronzo is now woven into multiple outlets and communities that encourage his creativity, self expression, and professionalism. He also serves as the Director of Operations for his company “Dyfferent Media”, which looks to create art that is grounded in belonging & leaves the viewer feeling a greater sense of connection with others, as well as themselves.

Coming soon

Coming soon

Joyce Yuriko Cole is delighted to have this opportunity to honor the perseverance of her ancestors. A child of Heart Mountain internees, she has a passion for telling an accurate history of the U.S. Her performance history spans decades. She was an original member of the Actors Company produced by Robert Garner and has performed in various theaters and TV across the U.S. She has choreographed for various dance and theater companies as well as for Levi's,Gloria Vanderbilt, Miss Universe, Young Life, the Nashville Worship Congress, and Vintage Theater. She most recently was seen in Japanese Arts Network Zotto and the House of Kodo's film Procession, which was featured at the Denver Film Festival. She was also honored to be included in the Catalyst Project by Jann Haworth and The Denver Theater District honoring unsung heroes of the Denver Art Scene. Her favorite role is being Grandma and mom to her family. She thanks God for each opportunity, her family, friends, and her beloved in Heaven. 

Leah Cárdenas (she/her) is a director, experience designer, and actor from Denver, Colorado. She graduated with a BFA in Acting from Nebraska Wesleyan University, recent credits include Assistant Directing with the Catamounts for their most recent shows Impossible Things and After the End, Experience Design for Creative Endeavor's Reunion 85' Tour, performing in DCPA Off Center’s Bright Lights of Denver, and acting/costume designing for Shakespeare in the Wild. With her company, Opia House, she has created an immersive Christmas Carol for 4 Mile Historic Parks, and directed two award winning shows for Denver Fringe Festival. Most recently Opia House won the Audience Choice and Grand Prize at the inaugural Denver Immersive Invitational. She is thrilled to bring Inheritance Kitchen to life along with her favorite creators here in Denver!

Leta is thrilled to be a part of another Japanese Arts Network immersive production. Most recently, Leta has appeared in The Catamounts' production of The Last Night of Red Barker as Marion, and the Japanese Art Network's production of Zotto as an understudy.

Maru has been acting and directing for over 40 years now. She has a Bachelor’s in Art from UNAM in Mexico City, specializing in directing. Maru has participated in more than 100 plays as actor and/or director. She has also participated in a few films and some TV. During her artistic career, she has had the opportunity to lead and manage three theater companies: Grupo Bochinche in Mexico City, The 73rd. Avenue Theatre Company and Wheat Ridge Theatre Company, both in Colorado. Maru loves doing immersive theater and participating in interactive experiences. Enjoy Inheritance Kitchen. www.marugarciaactor.com

Colorado artist. The Things We’ll Miss (Ensemble), DANCE NATION (Zuzu), Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (Roberta), Fool for Love (May). Savanna also began her immersive performance excursion while working as a Creative Operator at Denver’s Meow Wolf installation. As always she would like to thank her family, friends, and community for their constant support and love.

After 10 years in Atlanta, GA working mainly in film & television, TJ Jackson relocated to Denver, CO in 2024 to focus on his training and growing as an artist via theatre. In a year’s time he will have portrayed the titular role in Shakespeare’s “Othello”, “Uncle Jerome” in Sakura’s Inheritance Kitchen, “Crooks” in the classic Of Mice and Men, and finally “Macbeth” this summer. Desiring to follow in the footsteps of his role models, Sidney Poitier and Denzel Washington, TJ firmly believes the sky is not the limit, it’s only the beginning…so dream BIG!

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